| Microsynodontis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Mochokidae |
| Genus: | Microsynodontis Boulenger, 1903 |
| Type species | |
| Microsynodontis batesii Boulenger, 1903 |
|
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
Microsynodontis is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Mochokidae.
Microsynodontis species are occasionally imported for the aquarium trade.[1] Very little is known about their biology.[1]
It can be difficult to identify species of Microsynodontis as their coloration can be highly variable within each species, and color patterns may even change as a fish grows; to identify based on coloration, an understanding of the limits of variation is necessary.[1]
Microsynodontis species express sexual dimorphism. Males can be distinguished by the presence of a conical genital papilla immediately posterior to the anus; in females, this papilla is smaller and has a flattened tip. Males also have a much denser aggregation of tubercles on the head. In M. hirsutus these tubercles are longer than in the other species.
This genus includes eleven or twelve species. The validity of M. christyi, sometimes considered as a synonym of M. batesii, has been argued.[1][2]
Species, including M. chrystyi, are as follows: